What is this? (Heavy Cast Iron, marked "A.R.M. Co. 1886")

[capn]

Hey guys.
I just bought this on a whim. I think I overpaid but it just fascinated me. It's solid cast iron and super heavy.
Talked to about 5 local dealers, etc and noone could find what it is. The general consensus is possible the center for an old wagon wheel or fortified coach weel (with the spokes coming out of the grooves) or possibly an old gear. I am guessing maybe a piece from an early railroad wheel.

I cannot find any information on the company after hours of searching or any information on what the piece itself could be used for.

The middle is hollow all the way through and the grooves go all the way around. Stamped "A.R.M. Co. 1886" on one side.

Measures 11"x9" weighs a little less than 40 pounds

Thanks for your help!

[bigwull]

And here was me thinking...I was impulsive....but this takes the biscuit...it ll make a nice door stop...if nothing else... .

[capn]

And here was me thinking...I was impulsive....but this takes the biscuit...it ll make a nice door stop...if nothing else... .

It's super industrial and stamped with a huge date...I dunno...thought it was cool
But I won't tell you what I paid if you think it was impulsive in general haha

Oh well

[Ipcress]

Where are you ? Not ' down under ' by any chance ?

[mart]

A.R.M. Co. stands for American Rolling Mill Co !!  Ohio, I think !!  In business shortly before the turn of the century they developed a steel in 1909 that was 99.97% pure and after that was the standard for purity to be marked Armco steel !! Your item is not cast iron !!  Cast iron is brittle and could not be used for railroads,, wrought iron or steel could have been though !! Your item could have also come from many types of industrial machinery !!  That is not the date it was made but likely the date of incorporation for the company !!

[capn]

A.R.M. Co. stands for American Rolling Mill Co !!  Ohio, I think !!  In business shortly before the turn of the century they developed a steel in 1909 that was 99.97% pure and after that was the standard for purity to be marked Armco steel !! Your item is not cast iron !!  Cast iron is brittle and could not be used for railroads,, wrought iron or steel could have been though !! Your item could have also come from many types of industrial machinery !!  That is not the date it was made but likely the date of incorporation for the company !!

The date on the piece is 1886. American Rolling Mill company was created in 1899. So whether the date on the piece is the date it was made or the incorporation date, it is 15 years earlier than American Rolling Mill co. (that was my first guess too)

Another ARM co that could be it is the American Road Machine Company. Still looking into it though

[capn]

Where are you ? Not ' down under ' by any chance ?

Nope. NY

[mart]

Would not be the date made !! They could not have marked each piece manufactured with the date made,, would have been too costly !!  Not very many with that name !!  Will look more tomorrow !!

[Rauville]

It has to be a HD wheel hub.
Who knows, maybe it was on a wagon hauling ore out of a Colorado mine in the 1880's?
(If this outfit was able to raise $5M selling stock, they probably could afford to have their hubs marked. )

http://cigarboxlabels.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=13861

[capn]

It has to be a HD wheel hub.
Who knows, maybe it was on a wagon hauling ore out of a Colorado mine in the 1880's?
(If this outfit was able to raise $5M selling stock, they probably could afford to have their hubs marked. )

http://cigarboxlabels.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=13861

Another very possible direction! Thanks for that

[capn]

Would not be the date made !! They could not have marked each piece manufactured with the date made,, would have been too costly !!  Not very many with that name !!  Will look more tomorrow !!

Definitely some misunderstanding here haha. Sorry.
The company you are talking about didn't become a company until 1899.
I understand the date on this piece might not be the date it was made, but if anything it would be the date the company was founded...and 1886 is 13 years before that company was even founded. That's all I was saying

And unfortunately there were quite a few companies with the initials ARM (including farming equipment companies, steel companies, and mining companies which all could have used something similar) so it makes things pretty tricky.

Fun to research though when it's a hard one!

[capn]

It has to be a HD wheel hub.
Who knows, maybe it was on a wagon hauling ore out of a Colorado mine in the 1880's?
(If this outfit was able to raise $5M selling stock, they probably could afford to have their hubs marked. )

http://cigarboxlabels.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=13861

PS. HD as in harley davidson? 

[bigwull]

It has to be a HD wheel hub.
Who knows, maybe it was on a wagon hauling ore out of a Colorado mine in the 1880's?
(If this outfit was able to raise $5M selling stock, they probably could afford to have their hubs marked. )

http://cigarboxlabels.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=13861

PS. HD as in harley davidson?  

It might as well be...they,re just a smaller version of a MF....

[bigwull]

This is as close as I can find...looks like it could be it, if not then this one is yours half brother...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-rare-Antique-Wagon-Cannon-wagon-Wheel-Hub-cast-iron-steampunk-rustic-/350702110532?pt=Folk_Art&hash=item51a7798744

[cogar]

It looks like cast iron to me ..... but I don't think it is a hub for a "spoked" wagon wheel because those "hub" extensions would serve no purpose.

Now it might be a "hub" for a grist mill ..... or an idler "hub" for an old "belt driven" power supply for a factory or work shop. To wit: